Overflow

I used to spend hours in front of a mirror learning about faces and human form by sketching my own reflection. It was never with any intent of capturing me though. This is.

While some have remarked that these painted eyes are sad, I don’t think so. I think they are full of love, lessons, stories, strength, trauma, happiness and observation. I think they are reflecting my failures and accomplishments in an accepting kind of sobriety. A wake-fullness. I think they are a little bit shocked about the world that continues to unfold in such devastating, yet beautiful ways. I think they are a little afraid.

I have explored how to capture my inner self at this moment. My brain. My intellect. My energy. My emotions. How can these contribute to the image of my current self? I exploded these essences around my head and then back into my form in a somewhat Klimt-ian supernova.

Follow

Marieka Hambledon is an Adelaide based portrait artist whose work explores the human condition. Hambledon grew up in an artistic household and started painting from a young age. She began her university studies in film, before transferring into a fine art degree and then eventually studied graphic design that lead to a successful 10-year career.

With her parents involved in both theatre and counselling, Hambledon was drawn to painting different characters and exploring what it means to be human. Hambledon’s art practice is primarily in acrylics to achieve her distinct dotting style. Her technique is inspired by the pointillists, utilising colourful dots and optical blending to achieve a photo realistic appearance.

Hambledon’s work is in many private collections in Adelaide and Victoria, and a commissioned work was offered as the prize for the Howard Twelftree Award in 2016. In 2019 Hambledon was a finalist in the Kennedy Award, and a semi-finalist in the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize. Most recently, Hambledon was a finalist in the 2020 Bluethumb Art Prize and the SBS Portrait Prize.